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Atlanta City Council sends Beltline rail resolution to mayor's office
The council voted unanimously on Kelsea Bond's resolution, with nine co-sponsors, demanding the city, Atlanta Beltline Inc., and MARTA deliver a light rail implementation plan and timeline for the 22-mile corridor by January 2027. Byron Amos amended it to strip language supporting use of Beltline Tax Allocation District funds, which sunset in 2030, arguing that money should instead go to Westside and Southwest development.

Atlanta detention center sale sparks heated debate
A Sept. 23 work session over the proposed $68 million sale of the 1,300-capacity Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County, appraised at $144 million, ended in a shouting match. Sheriff Patrick Labat cited a 10% hiring increase including 141 new employees in 2026, while Southern Center for Human Rights' Tiffany Roberts said Fulton's Rice Street jail is staffed at only 54% of required levels.

Buckhead five-year plan outlines development, safety and quality of life improvements
The Buckhead Coalition and Buckhead Community Improvement District launched "Buckhead Forward," a five-year initiative targeting walkable public spaces, road and utility repairs, public safety, and traffic congestion. Current projects include a $240,000 Atlanta Regional Commission grant and accelerated repaving funded by Moving Atlanta Forward bonds.

Atlanta Roller Derby tries to save legendary Decatur roller rink Golden Glide
After the 52-year-old Golden Glide Skating Rink was acquired by investors and marketed for potential conversion into warehouse or data center space, Atlanta Roller Derby began renting space to help preserve the venue.

DeKalb County Commission withdraws update to noise ordinance
Commissioners voted Sept. 22 to scrap revisions that had been under discussion since December 2024, which would have set a 65-decibel daytime limit enforced with meters costing $350 to $800 each. Police Chief Gregory Padrick raised cost and reliability concerns, while landscapers objected that gas mowers and leaf blowers routinely exceed 65 decibels.

More mosquitos test positive for West Nile in DeKalb County
DeKalb Public Health confirmed 14 mosquito surveillance traps have tested positive since July, in Lithonia, Stonecrest, Tucker, Chamblee, Belvedere Park, Candler-McAfee, Brookhaven, and North Decatur. No human cases have been confirmed in DeKalb, though the state has reported eight human cases and one death.

With $31M financing secure, Trestletree development plots next moves
Invest Atlanta approved $29 million in bond financing plus a $2 million TAD grant for Wingate Companies' redevelopment of Trestletree Village's 188 Section 8 units across 44 buildings in Grant Park and Ormewood Park. Resident relocation begins in November 2027, with all households moving into one new multifamily building next to the Beltline.

Two giant pandas will soon arrive at Zoo Atlanta
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, both born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, are set to arrive within days under a new agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The move follows the 2024 return of the zoo's previous four pandas to China.

Georgia State unveils new 9-story research tower in downtown Atlanta
The new building off Decatur Street includes classrooms, teaching labs, and space for the Institute for Biomedical Sciences, funded in part by an $80 million Woodruff Foundation donation. President Brian Blake and Gov. Brian Kemp spoke at the ribbon-cutting.

Park reiterates theme of 'Better Together' during state of the city speech
Brookhaven Mayor John Park told the Chamber of Commerce that all eight FBI Index crimes fell in 2025, with overall crime down 12% and violent and property crimes down 20%. He also cited the $605 million Northbend development replacing Corporate Square and a $150 million BMW-related investment including $8 million for the Peachtree Creek Greenway.

Trader Joe's in talks to open Brookhaven store at Oglethorpe Crossing
The specialty grocer is expected to take the former Publix space at the Oglethorpe Crossing shopping center.

Donnie's Country Cookin' closing Brookhaven location after nearly four decades
The meat-and-three, opened by Donnie Kim in 1989 and located since 2008 in the Skye Hill shopping center on Clairmont Road, is closing after current owners opted not to renew their lease amid inflationary pressures.

Mule Train opens in South Downtown
The Plate Sale pop-up chefs Mike and Shyretha Sheats are opening their first brick-and-mortar restaurant, a 40-seat Southern farm-to-table spot at 87 Broad Street.

Linton's Bar & Grill and The Buttery planning late spring debut at Buckhead Center
Chef Linton Hopkins is bringing his restaurant and adjoining bakery to a 7,000-square-foot space along Peachtree Road in Buckhead Village, targeting late spring 2027.

Pie Bar closing shop inside Atlanta's Westside Market
The Georgia-based bakery and coffee concept will close its 1530 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd NW location at the end of September, though its Marietta Square and Woodstock shops stay open.

Viet-Cajun favorite Bon Ton closing its Midtown doors
The Myrtle Street restaurant, known for fried seafood and craft cocktails, is closing this week after years in Midtown.

Live music venue Park Bench expanding to Centennial Yards
The dueling piano bar, previously in Buckhead and The Battery Atlanta, is opening a second location in the new Entertainment District near Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.

Exclusive: Canvas Companies acquires century-old North Highridge Apartments in Poncey-Highland
Canvas Companies bought the four-building complex at North Avenue and North Highland Avenue, offering furnished apartments since 1921, and says it will maintain the existing footprint and allow current tenants to remain through their leases.

Forever-empty Grant Park Gateway building shows signs of life
The city's procurement department scheduled an Oct. 2 pre-solicitation conference for the more-than-7,000-square-foot space, vacant about six years after Savi Provisions and a later "Gateway Park and Market" proposal both fell through.

New Home for MOCA GA Opens in West Midtown
Mayor Andre Dickens joined museum leaders to cut the ribbon on MOCA GA's roughly 26,000-square-foot home at 1260 Foster Street NW on the Goat Farm campus, built with a $2 million city investment.

Corso Atlanta sets groundbreaking for 11-story tower with ballroom, bar
The senior living community at 3200 Howell Mill Road breaks ground October 1 on an 11-story South Tower with over 100 upscale residences, expected to open spring 2028.

Other items: A 175-unit mixed-use tower is advancing next to the West End MARTA Station at 715 W Whitehall St SW; a Kirkwood building at 918 Dill Ave SW is getting a three-way makeover including a small-format grocery; a new multifamily building with parking deck is moving through review at 1593 Huber St NW in West Midtown; 211 apartment units are advancing on La Vista Road near Piedmont Heights; and FASTSIGNS is moving into an adaptive reuse space at 1420 Mayson St NE.

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Decatur Book Festival brings author panels, exhibitor booths, and a street fair to downtown Decatur October 2-3.

Candler Park Fall Festival 2026 takes over the neighborhood Saturday, October 3, with an accompanying Fall Fest 5K and Fun Run on Sunday.

Ed Sheeran: LOOP Tour plays Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, October 3.

Kacey Musgraves – Middle of Nowhere hits State Farm Arena Wednesday, September 30.

TLC & Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue – IT'S ICONIC plays Chastain Park Friday, October 2.

Scarecrows in the Garden opens at the Atlanta Botanical Garden Thursday, October 1, marking the Garden's 50th anniversary.

Taste Brookhaven returns to Brookhaven City Centre October 1 with unlimited food and drinks from 16 local restaurants, benefiting Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Strong4Life program.

The Art of Banksy: Without Limits and the Atlanta Art Fair both run at Pullman Yards this week, with the Banksy show featuring more than 200 works.

Southwest Beltline Bike Tour offers a guided 13-mile ride along the Historic Southwest corridor Saturday, October 3, from Pittsburgh Yards.

Other notable events: Opening Weekend with Nathalie Stutzmann kicks off the Atlanta Symphony's season October 1, Smokey Robinson plays the Fox Theatre October 3, the 20th Annual Atlanta Horror Film Festival runs at 7 Stages, the Ansley Park Tour of Homes and Splish Splash Doggie Bash both hit Piedmont Park October 3-4, and pumpkin patches open at Oakland Cemetery starting October 1.

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DeKalb commissioners debate data center moratorium tied to health study
The Board of Commissioners took up a resolution that would block lifting the county's data center moratorium until an independent health and environmental study is completed, alongside big infrastructure spending: a $3.2 million sidewalk design contract for Flat Shoals Parkway, a $4.1 million Michelle Obama Trail extension design contract, a $15.85 million countywide paving contract, and a nearly $17.9 million state loan for Shoal Creek sewer upgrades. Only agendas have posted so far, so outcomes aren't confirmed.

Committee on Council advances Felicia Moore for Ethics Board
Members voted 5-0 to recommend former Council President Felicia Moore for a seat on the city's Ethics Board, and backed reappointments to the Atlanta Commission on Women. Bigger reform items, including public comment sign-up rules, a charter amendment requiring a named legislative sponsor, and a push for an independent probe into contracts tied to Foris Webb III, remain stuck in committee.

Atlanta City Council seeks tally of vacant sites to develop housing
The council is moving to compile a registry of privately owned vacant and underutilized land across the city that could be converted into housing, aimed at supporting infill development.

Invest Atlanta greenlights $15M tax break for Portman Holdings' Amsterdam Walk redevelopment
The board approved the incentive to advance the mixed-use project bordering Piedmont Park and Morningside along the Beltline.

Fulton County holds FY 2026 millage rate public hearing
The Board of Commissioners scheduled a special called meeting Sept. 30 to hold a public hearing on the FY 2026 General Fund millage rate, alongside review of 2027 employee healthcare contract renewals.

Avondale Estates discusses $500,000 City Hall renovation
Commissioners reviewed plans to renovate City Hall to improve space for police and municipal administration, with formal architectural proposals expected in October. A separate ordinance would let golf carts and low-speed vehicles legally cross U.S. 278 at a new marked crossing.

Chamblee weighs City Center financing
The Downtown Development Authority took up a loan agreement with developer Greystar Development East for the Chamblee City Center project, a decision that could shape how fast the mixed-use development moves forward.

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Decatur/Avondale Estates: Two teardown-rebuilds are rising on 3rd Avenue ($200,000, 3-story) and Robinson Avenue ($180,000, 2-story). Walmart's parking lot at 2525 N Decatur Rd is getting an LED lighting upgrade, and sidewalk maintenance complaints keep piling up around Clairemont Avenue, with five separate reports filed this week.

Old Fourth Ward/Poncey-Highland/Druid Hills: A $625,000 second-story addition is underway on Oxford Road in Druid Hills, while 725 Ponce De Leon Ave NE is getting new plumbing and a fire alarm overhaul ahead of a new tenant. Georgia Power is running metered service for a new Realm Kiosk on the Beltline near 405 N Angier Ave NE.

Grant Park/Kirkwood/Memorial Drive corridor: Ten separate permits hit 930 Kirkwood Ave SE this week at the Stein Steel development, each covering 200A electrical service for individual units across three building quads as the project moves into buildout. GDOT continues installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons on SR 260 at Haas Avenue and Brownwood Avenue.

West Midtown/Blandtown: ATL DOT is building a 10-foot-wide multi-use pathway along Chattahoochee Avenue connecting The Works to Howell Mill Road, cutting in front of the 24-unit shipping-container hub at 1130 Chattahoochee Ave. Property manager Eric Rubin says tenants face up to 15 months of disruption starting in December, including heavy grading and tree removals. Heavy substation wiring is also underway at 1968 Marietta Rd NW, feeding four 4000A switchgears.

Buckhead: Six new 4-story townhome units got land disturbance approval at 3519 Roxboro Rd NE. Office suites at 3475 Lenox Rd NE and 3414 Peachtree Rd NE are being reconfigured for new tenants, and a second-generation buildout is moving forward at 3284 Northside Pkwy NW covering the elevator lobby and restrooms.

Downtown/Midtown: Three separate downtown parking garages, at 192 and 161 Peachtree Center Ave NE and 227 Courtland St NE, are getting concrete repairs and traffic deck coatings. A Peachtree Street hotel at 210 Peachtree St NW is mid-refresh with five alteration permits covering new flooring, tub-to-shower conversions, and corridor updates. In Midtown, 1010 Spring St NW is being demolished inside for a future restaurant, and 1105 W Peachtree St NE is planning a major catering kitchen renovation.

Southwest Beltline: The Residences at West End, a 175-unit mixed-use development next to the West End MARTA Station, is moving through permit review. The SR 14 bridge over the Beltline near Murphy Avenue is undergoing a full concrete lining refurbishment under CSX and MARTA tracks.

North Druid Hills/Emory: Emory's Winship 5K on October 3 will bring road closures around McDonough Field. A Tesla dealership parking lot is adding eight private EV charging stations, and AMC N DeKalb 16 has three $200,000 permits filed for Phase 5 retail renovation work.

Brookhaven/Chamblee: A $630,000 interior renovation is underway at a bank building at 5001 Buford Hwy, and multiple tenant build-outs are moving through 3630 Peachtree Rd NE. GDOT continues widening the Ashford Dunwoody Road eastbound ramp at I-285 to add a third lane.

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Until next week,
Busybody ATL

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